LIMINGTON, Maine — Saco River Wildlife Center in Limington has a reputation for saving animals, and its latest fundraising effort is turning heads around the world.
Lauren Kennedy, the center's Director of Development, designed a Taylor Swift "Eras Tour" inspired T-shirt and sweatshirt last month.
"I was like, 'Wait a minute, why don't we have raccoons instead of her? Why don't we do a parody version of this and put it out there and not only raise funds for the center but also just have something light-hearted and fun," Kennedy said. "I thought maybe, you know, we'll raise $500, and it's just been crazy. It's blown up in such a big way."
Kennedy said the center sold out of its first 500 T-shirts in the first 48 hours. To date, the merchandise has brought in nearly $30,000 for SRWC. It didn't take long for other animal focused organizations and businesses to catch on and design their own version.
"It's kind of two worlds coming together, and it's cool to see that there are folks that love both her and raccoons," Kennedy said. "It's really been so fun and an amazing way that we've been able to raise funds."
The money will be put to good use. The center is currently expanding to a new property, and volunteers are still receiving injured, orphaned, or abandoned wildlife regularly.
To learn more about the merch and SRWC, watch the full segment.